UCLA Researchers Unlock Protein Key to Harnessing Regenerative Power of Blood Stem Cells

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Newswise In a study led by Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research member, Dr. John Chute, UCLA scientists have for the first time identified a unique protein that plays a key role in regulating blood stem cell replication in humans.

This discovery lays the groundwork for a better understanding of how this protein controls blood stem cell growth and regeneration, and could lead to the development of more effective therapies for a wide range of blood diseases and cancers.

The study was published online November 21, 2014 ahead of print in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are the blood-forming cells that have the remarkable capacity to both self-renew and give rise to all of the differentiated cells (fully developed cells) of the blood system. HSC transplantation provides curative therapy for thousands of patients annually. However, little is known about the process through which transplanted HSCs replicate following their arrival in human bone marrow. In this study, the authors showed that a cell surface protein called protein tyrosine phosphatase-sigma (PTP-sigma) regulates the critical process called engraftment, meaning how HSCs start to grow and make health blood cells after transplantation.

Mamle Quarmyne, a graduate student the lab of Dr. Chute and first author of the study, demonstrated that PTP-sigma is produced (expressed) on a high percentage of mouse and human HSCs. She showed further that genetic deletion of PTP-sigma in mice markedly increased the ability of HSCs to engraft in transplanted mice.

In a complementary study, she demonstrated that selection of human blood HSCs which did not express PTP-sigma led to a 15-fold increase in HSC engraftment in transplanted immune-deficient mice. Taken together, these studies showed that PTP-sigma suppresses normal HSC engraftment capacity and targeted blockade of PTP-sigma can substantially improve mouse and human HSC engraftment after transplantation.

Chute and colleagues showed further that PTP-sigma regulates HSC function by suppressing a protein, RAC1, which is known to promote HSC engraftment after transplantation.

These findings have tremendous therapeutic potential since we have identified a new receptor on HSCs, PTP-sigma, which can be specifically targeted as a means to potently increase the engraftment of transplanted HSCs in patients, said Chute, senior author of the study and UCLA Professor of Hematology/Oncology and Radiation Oncology. This approach can also potentially accelerate hematologic recovery in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy and/or radiation, which also suppress the blood and immune systems.

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UCLA Researchers Unlock Protein Key to Harnessing Regenerative Power of Blood Stem Cells

Cell therapy trial offers new hope to liver disease patients

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24-Nov-2014

Contact: Jen Middleton jen.middleton@ed.ac.uk 44-131-650-6514 University of Edinburgh @uniofedinburgh

Liver disease patients could be helped by a new cell therapy to treat the condition.

Researchers from the University of Edinburgh have received funding to start testing the therapy in patients within the next year.

It will be the world's first clinical trial of a new type of cell therapy to treat liver cirrhosis, a common disease where scar tissue forms in the organ as a result of long-term damage.

The Edinburgh team has received funding from the Medical Research Council and Innovate UK to investigate the disease, which claims 4000 lives in the UK each year.

The only successful treatment for end-stage liver cirrhosis at present is an organ transplant. The new therapy is based on a type of white blood cell called a macrophage, which is key to normal repair processes in the liver.

Macrophages reduce scar tissue and stimulate the liver's own stem cells to expand and form into healthy new liver cells.

Scientists will take cells from the blood of patients with liver cirrhosis and turn them into macrophages in the lab using chemical signals.

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Cell therapy trial offers new hope to liver disease patients

Pope's Address to Syro-Malabar Rite Catholics from India

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"May this time of celebration and intense spirituality help you to contemplate the marvelous works accomplished by the Lord in the lives and deeds of these new saints." Vatican City, November 24, 2014 (Zenit.org) | 485 hits

Here is the Vatican-provided translation of the Holy Father's address to Syro-Malabar Rite Catholics who came to Rome for Sunday's canonization of Saints Kuriakose Elias Chavara and Euphrasia Eluvathingal, who are both from Kerala, India.

* * *

Dear brothers and sisters,

I am pleased to join you in giving thanks to the Lord for the canonization of two new Indian saints, both from the State of Kerala. I offer warm greetings to Cardinal George Alencherry, to the Bishops and priests, men and women religious, and to each of you, dear brothers and sisters of the Syro-Malabar Rite. You have come to Rome in great numbers on this very important occasion, and have been able to live days of faith and ecclesial communion, praying also at the tombs of the Apostles. May this time of celebration and intense spirituality help you to contemplate the marvelous works accomplished by the Lord in the lives and deeds of these new saints.

Father Kuriakose Elias Chavara and Sister Euphrasia Eluvathingal, who was a member of the religious Institute founded by him, remind each of us that Gods love is the source, the support and the goal of all holiness, while love of neighbour is the clearest manifestation of love for God. Father Kuriakose Elias was a religious, both active and contemplative, who generously gave his life for the Syro-Malabar Church, putting into action the maxim sanctification of oneself and the salvation of others. For her part, Sister Euphrasia lived in profound union with God so much so that her life of holiness was an example and an encouragement to the people, who called her Praying Mother.

Dear brothers and sisters,

May these new saints help you to treasure their lessons of evangelical living. Follow in their footsteps and imitate them, in a particular way, through love of Jesus in the Eucharist and love of the Church. Thus you will advance along the path to holiness. With this hope and the assurance of my prayers, I impart to each of you and to all your loved ones my Apostolic Blessing.

(November 24, 2014) Innovative Media Inc.

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Lego Batman 3 – Walkthrough: Episode 9 – Space Station Infestation (2/2) – Video

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Lego Batman 3 - Walkthrough: Episode 9 - Space Station Infestation (2/2)
In this episode of Lego Batman 3, we complete the level "Space Station Infestation" with Cyborg and Robin going at with Killer Croc and Solomon Grundy as Batman and Superman complete it for...

By: NickTendo69

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Lego Batman 3 - Walkthrough: Episode 9 - Space Station Infestation (2/2) - Video

First Female Italian Astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti Arrives At The Space Station

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Italys first female astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti was welcomed aboard the International Space Station with smiles and hugs today.

Although Cristoforetti, who flew to the station in an agreement between her countrys space agency ASI and the European Space Agency, has yet to tweet from space, ESA has released a video clip of her entrance onto the ISS ISS

Cristoforetti and her crewmates Terry Virts of NASA and Roscosmos Anton Shkaplerov blasted off from Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on a Soyuz transport craft late last night local time and docked with the station just under six hours later.

They were welcomed aboard the orbiting science laboratory by NASA station commander Barry Wilmore and Russian cosmonauts Yelena Serova and Alexander Samokutyaev.

Cristoforetti will be living and working on the station for the next five months, during which the first half of Expedition 42 will set off home and Virts will take over command for the start of the overlapping Expedition 43.

The Italian astronaut was assigned to the mission more than two years ago and has spent that time learning how to control the stations robotic arms and perform all the scientific experiments for her tour, as well as how to handle any emergencies that might pop up. She also learned to fly the Soyuz capsule that took them to the ISS, a hurdle every crew member has to clear, and had to go through a two-week quarantine period before setting off.

According to ESA, Cristoforetti was one of the first women to apply as soon as the Italian air force opened to women and shes logged over 500 hours in military aircraft. She was one of six chosen from 8,000 applicants to join the ESA astronaut corps in 2009.

While onboard the station, her main tasks will be to run science experiments that cant be performed on Earth and maintain the microgravity lab that will be her second home. Her scientific programme includes experiments in biology and human physiology as well as radiation research and technology demonstrations.

She will also be the prime operator for the undocking of ESAs final Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV), the stations largest unmanned support craft. ATV Georges Lematre is the fifth in the series and was named after the Belgian astronome ISSThe space agency announced it would be discontinuing its ATVs back in 2012, as parts for the crafts became obsolete and European member states lost the appetite for the million-dollar spaceships.

For more on the ISS and other science and tech news, follow me on Twitter and Google +.

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The International Space Station officially has an espresso machine

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Now that the Soyuz TMA-15M spacecraft has successfully transported three people to the International Space Station, the space station has an espresso machine.

"'An espresso coffee is what I miss most aboard the International Space Station.' We have repeatedly heard this comment from the Italian astronauts who for 13 years have been at times working in the International Space Station," wrote Lavazza in June. Thus, the Turin-based coffee company teamed up with another Turin company, the engineering firm Argotec, to make a space-ready espresso machine.

Espresso machines typically rely on gravity to get water through coffee grounds, but they don't have much gravity at the space station. So the companies created the "ISSpresso," as it's called, that uses pumps that shoot heated water through a coffee capsule at the correct pressure level, according to The Guardian.

The company claims the espresso the machine makes meets the requirements of being considered a traditional Italian espresso, except the astronauts have to drink it through a straw that goes into a plastic pouch to avoid spillage.

The ISSpresso officially made it into the space station with Italian astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti on Monday morning.

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The International Space Station officially has an espresso machine